I'm guessing there's a whole history and culture and other stuff behind this story.

I'm guessing there's a whole history and culture and other stuff behind this story.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/21/norway-orders-reindeer-slaughter-days-christmas/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/21/norway-orders-reindeer-slaughter-days-christmas/

Comments

  1. Therese NorenDecember 22, 2017 at 2:28 AM

    There's so much anti-Sami racism, you have no idea. :/

    But also, we're not sentimental about reindeer like you are (the meat is great) and we don't share your "secular" Christmas mythology. IIRC, reindeer slaughter is in the autumn, so this is out of season.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Karl-Johan NorénDecember 22, 2017 at 4:32 AM

    Therese Noren I checked Sametinget's information on reindeer slaughter, and the main period in Sweden is October to January, with the peak in November, and I can't think Norway's different. So it's not out of season. But the case itself smells like structural racism.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Magnus ItlandDecember 22, 2017 at 5:24 AM

    Looks like a conflict between nature conservation and culture conservation. But it is natural for the Sami herders to be less trustful of the Norwegian state than their Indo-European neighbors, given how they have been treated in the past. It is well within living memory that the Norwegian government sought to eradicate the Sami language and culture. Even though the official position now is the opposite, those are some pretty deep wounds, and there hasn't been much in the way of restitution despite victims being still alive. So yeah, distrust definitely.

    But as Therese Noren points out, reindeer are not associated with Christmas here, so the timing is a non-issue for all concerned.

    ReplyDelete
  4. F-L SilverDecember 22, 2017 at 7:32 AM

    Personally, I have no problem eating reindeer, although I've never had the chance. I've eaten all available relatives, though, so.

    I'm sure the reason for covering the story now is that it's culturally seasonal. Otherwise, guaranteed nobody would have moved this up the links far enough to hit my newsfeed.

    I was curious about the potential for racism, classism, and what the real conservation issues might or might not be.

    ReplyDelete

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